Amusement apparatus.



W. S. VAN SANT & J. R. BANKER.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLIOATIOH rILnn 0010,1011.

1,026,333. Patented May 14, 1912.

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W. S. VAN SANT & J. R. BANKER.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 0019, 1911.

1,026,333. Patented May 14, 1912.

wa es. A I W COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPM CD" \\'.'.3IIINOTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. VAN SANT AND JOHN R. BANKER, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE EUREKA AMUSEMENT CO., OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, l/VILLIAM S. VAN SANT and J OHN R. BANKER, both citizens of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to amusement apparatus.

The object of the present invention is to devise and provide an amusement apparatus involving a plurality of passenger-carrying cars or vehicles each capable of moving in a circle with respect to an axis, and also capable of moving in an irregular orbit as regards a common center.

.A further object of the invention is to devise an amusement apparatus combining a turn-table with actuating mechanism, and mounting upon said turn-table a plurality of passenger-carrying cars, some of which are arranged coordinately; the coordinate sets of cars being capable of independent motion relative the main turn-table.

Another object is to so design the apparatus that while a rotary motion is being given to the turntable, each of the cars may be moved relative to one another, and their rotation may be controlled in either direction, independently of the rotation of the main turn-table.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a general plan View of the apparatus partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of the mechanism controlling the rotation or movement of related ears.

The present amusement device is designed with the object of furnishing innocent and safe amusement for persons of various ages, and enables the amusement seekers to participate in the operation of the apparatus by suitable means in their control; other means being provided independent of their control whereby the main part of the apparatus is mechanically driven.

In carrying out the objects of this invention, there is provided a suitable platform, grandstand, or other structure 2, which may Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 9, 1911.

Patented May 14, 1912.

Serial No. 653,744.

be elevated if desired, or it may be erected in a common plane, as the floor of the building. lVit-hin the general structure 2 is centrally mounted a turn-table 3 having a central pivot at and resting upon a plurality of roller bearings or supports 5 arranged at suitable and frequent intervals. The turntable 3 may be of any desired size or construction of sullieient strength and rigidity, and may be driven by means of a cable or other mechanism 6 deriving power from a suitable motor 7.

The operation of the turn-table may be controlled by a suitable lever or switch, which is under the control of a competent operator. At numerous and suitable distances upon and in the turn-table 3 there are provided bearings or bushings 9, upon which may turn a swivel sleeve 10, to which are pivotally connected, as at 10, diametrically opposite arms 11. Upon the outer ends of the arms are provided suitable passengercarrying cars 12. Preferably the bushings 9 are located adjacent to the periphery of the turn-table 3, and thus one or the other of the opposite cars which are arranged in sets as regards their respective bearing devices 10 will always be upon the stationary upper surface or floor of the platform structure 2 while the other related car is in a position above the turn-table 3. Each of the cars 12 is provided with swivel casters 13 which turn freely over and rest upon the surfaces of the platform 2 and the turn-table 3. By this construction when the operator manipulates the controlling switch, the bushings 9 will swing in a circle about the center pivot 4 of the turn-table 3, while the sets of cars 12 will be free to oscillate about their respectives axes in the bushings 9. Thus, passengers occupying the cars 12 will be given not only a circular movement as regards the pivot 1, but due to peculiar forces, such as centrifugal force, one or the other of the cars 12 in each set will be thrown outwardly over the platform 2 while the opposite car of the same set will swing inwardly over the surface of the turn-table 3.

One of the important features of the present invention is to provide a mechanism whereby the occupants of the cars may attempt to control the swinging. motion of their car as regards its sleeve 10 to the confusion of the other passengers in the opposite cars. This mechanism in the present form comprises hand-wheels 14 mounted in each car and fastened upon the outer ends of links 15 which are connected to one end of a bell-crank 16, fulcrumed as at 17 upon a bracket formed upon or attached to the upper portion of the swivel sleeve 10. The other arm- 18 of the bell-crank 16 is connected by a pin or bolt 19 to an upwardly projecting stem 20 which extends down through the swivel sleeve 10 and carries at its lower end a friction disk or wheel 21, of

suitable diameter, which is adapted to be moved into engagement with one or the other of stationary segmental tracks 22 and 23. By means of this mechanism one or the other of the occupants in the opposite connected cars giving a stronger pull on the hand-wheel14 in his car will thus be able to actuate the friction wheel 21, and in so doing causes the connected cars and the correlative sleeve 10 to move in one direction; whereas when the pull on the links 15 is reversed, the friction disk 21 is carried into frictional engagement with the opposite track and the direction of rotation of the sleeve 10 is reversed. This feature of the apparatus is designed to greatly increase the mirth and amusement afforded to the occupants and observers. While the passengers may control the direction of rotation of the cars about their respective centers at the sleeves 10, further amusement is caused by the turning of the turn-table which will carry the sleeves 10 and friction wheels 21 away from possible engagement with the segmental tracks 22 and 23, and at which time of clearance the disks 21 will successively encounter yieldable friction members 24 and 25 which are so arranged that as one of the disks 21 of the car sets encounters a friction shoe, as 24, this will positively revolve the car set about its respective axis irrespective of any attempt on the part of the passengers to control the circular movement of the cars by actuating the hand-wheels 14.

As soon as the friction wheel 21 of one of the sets of cars has been swung past the shoe 24 by the turn-table, the same wheel will encounter the other yieldable shoe or other friction device 25 which is arranged to engage the opposite side of the friction wheel 21, and thus positively reverse the direction of rotation of the wheel and its associated car set. To avoid any possible accident by too sudden a reversal of direction of rotation of the related cars, we prefer to cushion the friction shoes 24 and 25 by springs 26 which are mounted upon suitable supports or beams 27.

Further amusement and surprise is produced by forming the main stationary platform 2 with undulating surfaces, depressed, for instance, as at 28, and elevated, as at 29,

and which surfaces will cause the cars 12 to rise or fall with respect to their pivots 10 of the sleeves 10. Manifestly as many of the undulating surfaces may be provided as desired, and they may be suitably deco; rated.

By the several peculiar features involved in the present apparatus considerable amusement will be afforded, and by reason of the partial manual control of the move.- ment of the cars, which is given to the passengers by the provision of the hand-wheels 14 whereby the friction wheels 21 may be moved, the passengers will attempt to so manipulate and control the motion of the car sets as to cause the opposite car to strike one of the depressed portions, as 28, or raised portions, as 29, to the confusion of the occupants of the opposite car and it is desirable to also surprise the person attempting to manipulate the swinging of the car sets. It is for the purpose of surprising occupants that whe have arranged the friction tracks 22 and 23 so as to terminate adj acent to the undulating portion of the platform. A

By interposing the positive mechanical devices 24 and 25, the control of the move"- ment of the car sets about their respective axes is entirely taken away from the passengers and they are suddenly subjected to a reversal of rotation entirely unanticipated.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An amusement apparatus, comprising a turn-table, and supports therefor, means for revolving said turntable, pairs of passenger-carrying cars mounted upon independent axes on the turn-table, connections between the cars of the same pair and within the control of the occupants thereof whereby the direction of rotary movement of cars of the same pair may be independently governed, and means for positively revolving the cars. v

2. An amusement apparatus, comprising a turn-table, and supports therefor, means for revolving said turn-table, pairs of passenger-carrying cars mounted upon independent axes on the turn-table, connections between the cars of the same pair and within the control of the occupants thereof whereby the direction of rotary movement of cars of the same pair may be independently governed, means for positively revolving the cars, and a platform upon which said cars are adapted to swing.

3. An amusement apparatus, comprising a suitable platform having an undulating surface, a turn-table, means for revolving said turn-table, 'revolubly supported cars, and a mechanism mounted on the turncars being arranged in pairs with each car of a pair adapted to alternately roll over the turn-table and platform.

4- An amusement apparatus, comprising a suitable platform having an undulating surface, a turn-table, means for revolving said turn-table, a mechanism mounted on the turn-table to which are connected cars adapted to roll over the turn-table and said platform, and means for manually controlling the direction of rotation of said cars.

5. An amusement apparatus, comprising a platform having an undulating surface, a turn-table, means for moving said turntable, a plurality of sets of flexibly connected passenger-carrying cars, a turnable sleeve about which each set is connected, hearings in the turn-table for the sleeves, and means extending through said sleeves whereby the direction of rotation of the car sets about their axes may be controlled.

6. An amusement apparatus, comprising Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

a platform having an undulating surface, a turntable, means for moving said turntable, a plurality of sets of flexibly connected passenger-carrying cars, a turnable sleeve about which each set is connected, bearings in the turn-table for the sleeves, means extending through said sleeves whereby the direction of rotation of the car sets about their axes may be controlled, said means comprising a friction wheel, tracks with which said wheel is engageable, and a lever mechanism under the control of the passengers of the car for adjusting said Wheel.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM S. VAN SANT. JOHN R. BANKER.

Witnesses:

J OHNATHAN Wi-n'rooiun, MARY C. LISTON.

Washington, I). C. 

